Today I am known for my voice. Perhaps the greatest honor came when I was asked to read a book on tape.

But it   1   a long time to believe such good things could happen to me. When I was a youngster I stuttered(口吃)   2   badly that I was completely   3   to speak in public.

  4  , when I was 14, Professor Donald Crouch came to our school. He was a retired college professor. English was his   5   subject; poetry was his deepest love. He held a book of poems   6   it were a diamond necklace, turning pages as if uncovering treasures. When he heard our school was teaching Shakespeare and other classics, he could no longer   7   not being a part of our school.

When he   8   that I not only loved poetry but was   9   it, we became closer. There was, however, one   10   between us－Professor Crouch could not stand the   11   that I refused to read my poems to the class.

“Jim, poetry is   12   to be read aloud,” he said. “You should be able to speak those beautiful words.” I shook my head and   13  .

Then he tricked me. After handing in a poem, I waited for his   14  . It didn’t come. Instead, one day as the students gathered together, he challenged me.” Jim, I don’t think you wrote this.”

I   15   him in disbelief. “Why,” I started, anger flooding me. “of course I   16  !” “Well, then,” he said, “you’ve got to prove it by getting up and reciting it   17   memory.”

By then the other students had settled at their desks. With knees shaking, I walked up. For a moment I stood   18  . Then I began, and kept going. I recited my poem all the way through!

Afterwards, Professor Crouch congratulated me and 19   me to read other writers’ poetry before public.

Before long I discovered I did have a(n)   20   and found my fellow students actually looked forward to hearing me recite.

1．A．lasted                    B．took                    C．spent                  D．wasted

2．A．so                        B．fairly                   C．such                   D．rather

3．A．uncertain               B．unlikely               C．unbelievable         D．unable

4．A．So                        B．Besides                C．Then                   D．Therefore

5．A．good                     B．important             C．selected               D．favourite

6．A．even if                  B．so that                 C．as though            D．if only

7．A．protect                  B．help                    C．keep                   D．stand

8．A．learned                  B．recognized           C．decided               D．proved

10．A．difference            B．difficulty             C．promise               D．similarity

11．A．truth                   B．idea                     C．fact                    D．belief

12．A．said                    B．meant                  C．taught                 D．prepared

13．A．answered back     B．turned up             C．turned away        D．stuck to

14．A．correction           B．praise                  C．return                 D．comment

15．A．replied to             B．laughed at            C．pointed to            D．stared at

16．A．could                  B．did                      C．should                 D．had

17．A．with                    B．of                       C．from                   D．in

18．A．changeless           B．hopeless              C．careless               D．breathless

19．A．enabled               B．persuaded            C．encouraged          D．supported

20．A．voice                 B．sound                  C．appearance         D．interest